Fluid brake



Sept 26, 1921? s. PRIBULA FLUID BRAKE Filed March 4, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet l Patented Sept; 26, 1944 orrlcs Steven Prlbula, New York, N. Y. Application March 4, 1943, Serial No. 477,907

5 Claims. (02:. its-s) This invention relates to brake devices for automobiles, but also for other kinds of vehicles, trains, and generally for any rotating shaft which it is desired to stop.

The main object of my invention is to provide a device of this character which will be more eificient, more reliable and safer than the brake devices heretofore used, or proposed, particularly for motor vehicles.

Another object of my invention is to provide a brake device as characterized hereinbeiore, which will act through a fluid medium, and which will be extremely simple in construction and thereby adapted for quick andinexpenslve mass manufacturing and easy installing in vehicles.

Still a further object of my invention is to provide a device of the mentioned character which will require very little or no repairs at Additional objects of this invention will be apparent, as the specification of the same proceeds.

In the drawings, forming a part of this speciilcation and accompanying the same Fig. 1 is a cross sectional view of my novel fluid brake, attached on the axle of a motor vehicle, the section being taken on the line |i of Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the device of Fig. 1, the section being taken on the line 2--2 thereof;'

Fig. 3 is an elevational view of a sliding plate used in my device, the figure being on a larger scale than the earlier figures and Fig. 4 is an end view of said plate.

Figs. 5 and 6 are sectional details on the lines 55 and 6-6, respectively, of Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawings more in detail by characters of reference, the numeral Ill indicates my brake device, in general, and the numeral II the axle or shaft on which it is mounted.

As will be seen from the drawings, the axle or shaft II has a conical pin i2, as usual with motor vehicles, on which cone the hub of the wheel is usually secured, and I employ my novel fluid brake on said conical pin.

My novel brake is composed of two main elements. One is a disk II, which is secured on with. A second element of my brake device is a circular housing, generally indicated by the numeral iii, and mainly composed of a comparatively wide and short hollow cylinder or ring it, and two end plates it for the same, said brake housing It being secured on the stationary axle housin id of the motor vehicle, as by the bolts it, or on some other relatively stationary part of the frame or chassisstructure of the vehicle, and, of course, said housing will be relatively stationary in contrast to the rotatin disk 8%.

Heavy bolts 2t connect the end plates H, se curing them by nuts a on the open ends of the ring I 8, thereby forming the cylindrical hollow casing l 5. End plates ll may he of larger diam-= eters than the cylindrical ring it, leaving a flange ila therearound and a similar flange its may be provided at the ends of the cylinder it, for better sealing. semicircular extensions or lugs 2% may be provided in each flange where the bolts 2t connect them.

On one part of its periphery,'the ring or hol -low cylinder it has an outward bulge, generally indicated by the numeral 25, and a by-pass or channel 22 is formed in said extension or bulge, said channel having its termination openings or mouths 28 and 26 on the inner surface of the ring it, said openings being spaced apart from one another to a desired extent.

The channel 22 is formed by an appropriately shaped block cast into said bulge in the mannot indicated in Fig. l and being further se cured in its place by two bolts 28 the ends of which are fastened to the cover plates I! as by nuts 28a.

The diameter of the rotating disk It is smaller than the inner diameter of the hollow cylinder It, so that a ring space 21 is left between the two, the housing I! being secured concentricallywith the disk I3.

As will be seen presently, said ring space 21, and the by-pass channel 22, connecting two portions thereof, will be used for circulating a liquid medium, like oil, or a so called anti-freeze fluid, in my device, and to produce the braking eilect Italy gradually closing the path to said circulaon. i

Between the two openings or mouths 23 and 24, oiv the channel 22, the inner wall 25a of the block 25 is of the same curvature as the outer circle or periphery Ila oi the disk It, so that said disk will closely slide at the place 280 on the inner wall of the block 25.

A valve device 28 is arranged in the channel known in this art. The embodiment shown in them-swings has a rotatable central cylinder 2| with a longitudinal slot ll going through the major part thereof. A stem ll of it projects through the adjacent cover plate I! in a substantially liquid sealed manner and will have an operating arm 32 secured thereon, while its other stem 83 will be lournalled in the opposite cover plate 21, preferably not passing through the emperor better sealing.

The operation and use of my device may be noted from the herein description, as I am aware of the fact that many fluid brakes have been stop in such a manner that the stopping of the Y rotation of said disk'will prevent the rotation of said element, like the axle or shaft of a vehicle.

In my device, the ring'space or channel 21 and the by-pass 22, will be used 101* circulating the brake fluid by the rotation of the disk ll, and for this purpose two or more appropriately spaced inwardly and outwardly slidable pusher Plates or blades will be arranged on the rotating I l, riding on the inner surface I Ob of the ring "in a substantially liquid tight manner and sensing the liquid in front of them to circulate fllmugh'said channels, as will be obvious.

Normally, valve device 28 is set into an open position and its through-going slot or opening it will be registering with by-pass. 22, so that the oil may freely circulate therethrough. When it is desired to produce a brake effect, said valve will be closed, gradually stopping the circulation of the oil, and gradually braking the motion to be-stoppcd, and when said circulation is made entirely impossible it, of course, will prevent any further rotation of thedisk II, and thereby entirely stop the rotation of the shaft or axle II but in a gradual manner, if so desired.

In the embodiment shown in the drawings, two sliding plates or blades are indicated, generally designatedby the numerals 34 and 3! respectively. Since the two blades and their arrangemerit in the rotating disk II are identical, the description of one will sufilce.

I prefer to make each pusher plate or blade of two generally identical halves, indicated by v the numerals II and 31 being placed in an appropriate slot II in the disk ll closed on one another, their separation plane being indicated at fl. The outer contour of each half is identical and shows a wider outer portion 40 and a somewhat narrower inner portion ll and the slot 08 in disk It will be formed accordingly. The wider outer portion 40 is of the same widths as the ring It, so that its end or edge surfaces 42 will ride on the respective parts of the end plates ll, while its outer or top surface 43 will be of the same cylindrical curvature as the inner surface of the ring it, so that it may rotate thereon. A downwardly hollow open space M is provided within each 'sliding pusher plate or blade in which is arranged a plurality of springs 48 having the tendency to press the outer surface 43 of the pusher plate against the inner surface lid of the ring ll.

' Two circular sealing rings 48 are arranged in 9,85%835 I 22,- being of any appropriate construction, well the rotating disk ll, each ring I being outwardly pressed by a plurality of coiled springs 41 so as to tightly ride on the inner surface of the respective end plate ll.

As has been mentioned hereinbefore, the usual disk It is provided to carry the wheel of the vehicle, being secured on the cone pin I! as by the nut ll, and said disk ll may have a hub it having a reversely conical inner portion a which may be forced into an appropriate recess in the disk II. I

The end plates I I will have central apertures II and I! in which the axle may rotate in a substantially oiled and liquid sealed manner, as it is well known in this art. Space 8211' may house the roller bearing for the ox! 1 The use and operation of my novel fluid brake will be apparent from the herein description and from the earlier remarks. Normally, the valve It is set into an open position, and as the axle II .is rotated by the motor of the vehicle, disk It will rotate therewith, pusher plates 34 and SI riding on the inner surface of the ring II, as will be understood. The direction of the rotation is indicated in Fig. 1 by the arrow N. g

The oil or anti-free fluid or any other liquid medium will be placed into the ring space 21, as

indicated at Ill, and as the pusher plates 34 and .I! ride around, they will drive the oil before them in the direction of arrows Ila.

At the surface Ila the disk I 3 rides in a sealing manner on the block fl so that the oil 081'!- not continue in the ring space 21, but it is forced to tabe the by-pass 22, as indicated by said arrows Ila.

, As will be seen, when the pusher plate arrives to the sealing surface 25a, it will be pressed inwardly into the disk ii the bottom 38a of the slot ll being spaced deep enough to permit such movement and the springs 45 being temporarily compressed, and when the pusher plate leaves said sealing surface, springs I will press the same outwardly, so that its outer surface 43 again will ride in a sealing manner on the inner surface I 6a of the ring ll.

When it is desired to break the rotation of the disk It, valve 28 will be gradually closed, which may be effected from any distant place, as from the driver's seat, through any appropriate connection, well known in this art, acting on the arm 32, as indicated by the arrow ll.

When the valve 2! is entirely closed, pusher plate- I4 will press the oil before it (arrow 54a) against the closed valve, until the rotation of the disk ll will be made entirely impossible, as long as the parts resist, and as long as passing of the oil through the valve or over the sealing surface "a, or backwards over thedblade end 43, is prevented, as will be obvious.

To insure the tight sealing at the block 25 when the long portions of the periphery l3a of the disk l3. where no pusher plate is arranged, ride on it, a. counter-inwardly pressed sealing plate I! acted upon by coiled springs as may be arranged in the center of the block 25.

To insure a more sealing or tight running of the edge or side surface I: of the pusher blades It and I! on the end plates or covers i1, each incisions are placed in a staggered manner in he two halves. The incisions go to a great portionof the depth of the pusher blade, but do not go corresponding circular slots in the two faces of 7 entirely throush e same. and through their re-- aesaszs siiiency will cause the end or edge surfaces E2 to press on the respective covers ll. The two halves as and 31 may be secured together at their lower portions, as by spot welding, but so as to still permit said resilient actions of the incisions 36a and tie.

It will be seen that my device may be built of a few comparatively simple parts, normally it will permit free and easy circulation of the brake fluid, but will tightly seal the same, even against very high pressure, when the valve 28 is closed. The block and its associated parts prevent a leakage of the oil at that point, The pusher plates or blades will ride with a comparatively wide-top surface and under the pressure of the springs on the inner surface it!) of the ring is, and on said block preventing the escaping of the oil at those places, while, in the normal operation of the device, the spring action on the end or side surfaces 82 of the pusher blades will seal the oil at the cover plates. Any oil or other liquid possibly escaping in very small quantities will be hand side face of the'plate or blade 34 when it held back by the spring pressed sealing rings 46.

All the parts rotating with the device may be appropriately shaped and finished so as to easily slide on the respective stationary portions. and the spring pressures being comparatively light, normally, no appreciable counterforce or resistance will arise on account of their action. Their purpose is to insure a sealing contact, and, as the moving parts will be constantly and amply lubrioated by the brake fluid itself, the rotation of the device will be easy, smooth, and will offer a negligibly small resistance only. As a further improvement on my device, I provide any of the usual appropriate oil catchers or retainers 59 in the openings ti and $2, in, which the respective parts oi the axle ii rotate, and the oil possibly caught there, will be gathered through the bores and tubes 6%, as it will be understood, and, finally, returned into the fluid channel 2? either simply manually, or by any appropriate means as the pump 6i shown diagrammatically. Arrows 52 indicate the path of the oil, and 83 indicates the return into the device, which also may be used for replenishing.

The oil catchers or retainers 59 preferably are packings placed into appropriate grooves, as shown.

The portions 22a of the by pass 22 at both sides of the valve 28 may be made wider to reduce the resistance against the normal circulation of the brake fluid and said by pass 22 may have a transverse clearance all between the end plates I! (Fig. 5) identical to the length of the opening 80 in the valve, for similar reasons. At the mouths 23 and 24 the by pass 22, however, is

arrives to the mouth of the by pass 23 and starts to close. On account of the extreme quickness of this action at high speeds of revolution, this back pressure knocks the plate 24 against the side of the slot in the disk l8, causing unpleasant and harmful rattling. The pressure on the one, the left, side of the plate 35, also causes strong friction, makes its sliding harder and causes the plate and slot to wear out quicker. The auxiliary or secondary by pass 230 starting somewhat beforethe mouth of by pass 23, when the plate 36 starts to close said mouth, permits the back pressure to reach the other, right, side of plate 34, and counterbalances the back pressure acting on the left face thereof (as seen in Fig. 1) and the rattling as well as one sided pressure and wearing out of plate as, will be prevented' If the rotation of the axle ii is the opposite,

by pass 24c will have this role, and, in general, I may remark, that my device is adapted for braking the rotation of the axle in either direction.

What I claim as new is:

1. In a fluid brake for a rotatingshaft, a disk end walls for said housing, slidably but substantially sealingly engaging the two sides of said disk, said shaft being substantially sealingly journailed in said end walls, an inwardly projecting cam portion for said cylindrical housing slidably but/sealingly engaging a portion of the periphery of said disk, inwardly and outwardly slidable blades in said disk, resilient means pressing said blades outwardly against the inner sur- 1 face of said cylindrical housing, and said cam,

somewhat restricted and at each of these places two side ledges 23a and 24a may connect the block 25 with the ring wall it that is, said block and said ring is formed of one casting said ledges Ila and 24a holding block 25 within the protruding portion 2i of ring it. In between said ledges 23a and 24a are the entrance, respectively, exit iary or secondary by pass 280 is to counteract the pressure on the sliding plates 84 and 35 when the valve is is being closed.

Supposing that the plate 34 is moving in the respectively, a by-pass in said cam connecting the portions of said channel before and after said cam, a liquid substantially filling said channel and said by-pass, and a valve device in said bypass, whereby, when said valve is opened, on the rotation of said disk, said blades will cause said liquid to circulate in' said channel and through said by-pass, but upon the closing of the said valve, said circulation will be prevented and the rotation of saidshaft stopped, said blades being made of two identical halves each having an incision from the outer end downwardly to make said outer ends resilient whereby the side edges of the blades will ride on said end walls in a sealing manner.

2'. In a fluid brake for a rotating shaft, a disk secured on the shaft and rotatable therewith, a relatively stationary cylindrical housing concentrio with said disk but of a larger diameter, leaving a ring shape channel between them, two end walls for said housing, slidably but substantially sealingly engaging two sides of said disk, said shaft being substantially sealingly Journaled in said end walls, an inwardly projecting cam portion for said cylindrical housing slidably but sealingly engaging a portion of the periphery of said disk, inwardly and outwardly slidable blades in said disk, resilient means pressing said blades outwardly against the inner surface of said cylindrical housing and said cam, respectively, a bypass iii said ca'm connecting the portions of said channel before and alter saidfcam, a liquid substantially filling said channel and said by-pass, and a valve device in said by-pass, whereby,

when said valve is opened, on the rotation of said disk. said blades will cause said liquid to circulate in said channel and through said by-pass. but upon the closing of the said valve, said circulation will be prevented and the rotation of said shaft stopped, a circular slot in each face of the disk concentric therewith, a ringin each slot, and resilient means to. the rear of each r1118 pressing the same outwardly against the respective covers to reduce the escape of the liquid.

3. In a fluid brake for a rotating shaft. a disk secured on the shaft and rotatable therewith, a relatively stationary cylindrical housing concentric with said disk but of a larger diameter, leaving a ring shape channel between them, two end walls for said housing, slidably but substantially sealingly engaging two sides of said disk, said shaft being substantially sealingly Journalled in said end walls, and inwardly projecting cam portion for said cylindrical housing slidably but sealingly engaging a portion of the periphery 0! said disk, inwardly and outwardly slidable blades in said disk, resilient means pressins said blades outwardly against the inner surface of said cylindrical housing and said cam, respectively, a by-pass in said cam connecting the portions oi said channel before and after said cam, a liquid substantially filling said channel and said bypass, and a valve device in said by-pass, whereby when said valve is opened. on the rotation of said disk, said blades will cause said liquid to circulate in said channel and through said by- Pass. but upon the closing of the said valve, said circulation will be prevented and the rotation of said shaft stopped, a circular slot in each face of the diskconcentric therewith, a ring in each slot, and resilient means tdithe rear of each rinl pressing the same outwardly'against the respective covers to reduce the escape of the liquid. a second by-pass starting outside of each mouth of said first by-pass to allow a backward travel of the pressure in the fluid when said valve is being closed. to act on the rear surface of the respective blade and counteract the Pressure on the front side of it. r

4. In a fluid brake, 'as set forth inclaim 3, said second by-pass being fornied by a recess in the wall of said cylindrical housing and bridgins said mouth.

5. In a fluid brake having a cylindrical hcusing, a rotatable disk therein, a channel between them having a closed portion,- a by-pass around the closed part of the channel, and a valve in said bya fluid medium in said channel. and inwardly and outwardly slidable blades in said rotatable disk whereby a closing of said valve will stop the circulation of said fluid and break said 

